


Unworthy

by Andromakhe



Series: Balance [5]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-13
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-05-02 16:37:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5255570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromakhe/pseuds/Andromakhe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in my "Balance" AU, but no knowledge of the fic is necessary. Splinter breaks Leo. Karai fixes him. Also known as another Leo-has-a-nightmare plot. Inspired by Celine Dion's "Stand by Your Side."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unworthy

**Author's Note:**

> This was mostly done for my own wish fulfillment. I love hurt/comfort, and I’ve often seen stories with Leo being comforted by Splinter or his brothers and as a Leorai shipper, I wanted a fic of Karai doing it. It kind of follows the same pattern as "Dreams Pass in Time, which is a Kentress fic. Hopefully, since these are different characters, the story turns out different. It is set in my "Balance" AU, in the lair.

Leo ran through the forest, weaving around tree trunks as arrows whistled around him. In the trees, Foot archers gave chase, giving him no time to rest. Many of the arrows glanced off his shell, but one buried itself in his shoulder as Raphael’s voice called, "Lame-onardo." Leo winced in pain but kept running. Another arrow embedded itself in his other shoulder as Karai’s voice called, "I thought you were different." Leo looked up to see that the archers were now his family, and Karai had her mouth open and was ready to strike. He dodged aside as she lunged, recoiling at the malevolence in her gaze. "I’m sorry," Leo called to her, and she spat venom at him. He turned aside and the venom hit his cheek rather than his eyes. Donnie and Mikey each fired an arrow, both of which hit him in the side and slowed him enough for Karai to catch him with her tail and hoist him into the tree she was hanging onto. She looked without remorse into his heartbroken face and threw him from the tree. The last thing Leo heard was Splinter’s proclamation: "You are an unworthy leader and unfit for Miwa. I hereby strip you of your status as heir to the clan."

Leo woke in tears, body shuddering as he buried his head in his pillow. "I’m sorry, Sensei," he whispered, but the words were easily heard in the quiet night. "I did the best I could. I’ve always done. All I ever wanted was…No, I guess it doesn’t matter now." He whimpered softly. "Karai, I know I did wrong, going back on a deal. I’m sorry, too."

"Sssssh, Leo," hissed Karai from behind him.

Leo started violently, head snapping up and looking wildly around. For once, Karai did not find it funny. Her stomach was draped over Leo’s bed while her tail dragged on the floor. Her arms wound around Leo’s middle, pulling him against her chest. His breath still hitched periodically as she lay her head against his cheek and turned to lick at salty tears.

Leo stiffened abruptly and pulled away, fear flashing in his eyes. Karai gasped, unsure what to make of that reaction. She grew alarmed as Leo pulled himself into his shell and tried to get as far away from her as possible, which mostly meant flattening himself against the wall beside his bed and burrowing under his blanket.

Now Karai felt a mixture of sorrow and frustration. She needed Leo to talk to her, but he was clearly afraid of her.

Hissing softly, Karai left Leo’s room and sat on a cushion in the living area, thinking. He had mentioned something about the deal that fell through so long ago. Didn’t he know she’d forgiven him for that? But then, she realized she never told him. Well, she’d fix that straight away, as soon as she figured out how to get through to him.

Karai began slithering around the living area, at a loss. Maybe she should leave Leo alone. It’s what she’d want. But would she really? If she was feeling bad about something to do with Leo, she’d want, she’d need, for him to say it was okay, that all was forgiven.

She got a glass of water and drank deeply, then refilled it and headed back to Leo’s room. Leo was sitting on the edge of his bed, watching the door. Karai paused in the doorway, a question in her eyes. Leo waved her inside, and she held the glass out to him and stopped a couple feet away. 

"Thanks," Leo said hoarsely as he took the water and drank slowly.

Karai approached and lay a hand on his knee briefly before raising herself on her coils and waiting for him to acknowledge her again. When he met her eyes, sympathy and compassion filled her heart. It must have shown in her eyes because Leo smiled a little as he offered the glass to her. When she refused it, he put it on the table by his bed and got down on the floor, sprawling on his stomach, legs out behind him and arms folded as his head was raised to look at her. Karai uncoiled with a comfortable sigh and grateful nod, which earned her a brighter, bigger smile.

On a whim, Karai began massaging his neck and shoulders. Leo lowered his head to his arms and savored the sensation a while. A comfortable silence reigned until Karai judged Leo to be relaxed and unafraid. Finally, she broached her query gently. "What happened, Samurai? I gather you were dreaming, and it broke your heart."

Leo sighed heavily. "It’s…embarrassing. And I’m not sure I have it in me to repeat what I heard. But it hurt. Deeply."

Karai gathered Leo against her chest again, bending her head to nuzzle his neck with her snout. "I was awake to get that water. I heard you in here and you were talking to me and Father. Apologizing. I can’t speak for Father, but whatever you did to me in the past is irrelevant and forgiven. I betrayed your trust first, so I had it coming. Do you forgive me for trying to kill you? On multiple occasions?" 

"Do you even have to ask?" Leo muttered sarcastically.

"It’s never good to assume," Karai answered airily.

"Touché," Leo nodded approval. "I understood where your grudge came from. If you had done that to Sensei, all bets would be off." He patted one of Karai’s hands reassuringly.

"What did we say to hurt you?" Karai questioned.

Leo got up and lay on his bed, eyes partially closed. He lay on his side and held out his arms for Karai, who obliged and nestled against his chest, facing away from him. She pulled his blanket so it covered Leo’s stomach and his thighs, but left the rest of him naked. Karai’s tail, like before, trailed off the bed and straight along the floor. It was sliding back and forth erratically as she awaited an answer. With a deep breath, Leo told her. "You said you thought I was different, but it was Sensei’s words that struck true and slew me. 'You are an unworthy leader and unfit for Miwa. I hereby strip you of your status as heir to the clan.'" Karai felt Leo shiver behind her, and she didn’t have to see him to know his eyes were probably full of agony.

Karai flinched in sympathy. "Oh, Leo," she sighed, part heartbroken, part exasperated. "Father chose you for the job and I can see why. You’re careful, responsible, disciplined, focused. You make it look easy. That’s the mark of a professional.

"As for me, you know that if I thought you weren’t good enough, I wouldn’t be here. You’re afraid of our disapproval and there’s no reason to be. How can I prove it?"

"When I was officially named team leader, Raph wasn’t happy. Both of us wanted the job. It seemed to be my brothers’ mission to make things as difficult as they could for me. I think that’s a big reason why I abandoned them and met you.

"But then it was found that Raph doesn’t really work well under pressure, while I actually rather enjoy being busy. Sure, sometimes I wish I could slack off and do nothing, but if I made it a habit, it’d be ultimately unfulfilling.

"Anyway, over the course of our adjustment period, which lasted until the Kraang invasion and my Foot ambush, I was often told that I’m a terrible leader and that it was my fault if things went wrong. Presumably, that’s where the dream came from.

"As for proof, I don’t need any. I take you at your word because your actions speak for you. Same goes for Sensei. I guess I just haven’t gotten over the words."

"Who said those things?" Karai hissed dangerously, clenching her jaw while her tail coiled and uncoiled, as though it wanted to grab someone and break every bone in their body.

"No, no, no, Rogue. Easy," Leo crooned, stroking her neck as she continued to hiss angrily.

She launched herself away from him and turned around to face him, eyes promising brutal retribution. "Who?" she spat, saliva spraying from her mouth.

Leo shook his head, backing up toward the wall behind him slowly. "It doesn’t matter."

"Like hell it doesn’t!" Karai practically snarled, displaying her fangs.

"Look, if you want to scream at them, that’s fine. But I can’t let you kill them. I still love them. And you’d regret doing it later. You know I’m right."

The fire died in Karai’s eyes, to be replaced by grudging resignation and honest respect. "Damn," she muttered. "You take the fun out of everything. How do you always manage this?"

Leo’s eyes softened and he kissed Karai on the mouth, his tongue sliding against hers as his eyes slowly closed. Karai responded by nipping at Leo’s lower lip and soothing it with her tongue as she carefully scratched the skin on Leo’s upper arms with her hands. "What was it you said?" Leo whispered against her mouth. "I’m a professional." He chuckled softly and Karai whacked him in the shoulder with a hand, though obviously playfully, since it barely registered as pain.

"I’m a professional, too," Karai purred in his ear, as she lay beside him and put her head on his chest. "I’m going to yell at our brothers for sure. They owe you an apology, and it’s long overdue. But right now, I think we both need to sleep. What do you say?"

Leo covered a big yawn with a hand, blushing sheepishly. Karai laughed and lifted her head to kiss his lips tenderly. "Rest well, Samurai," she murmured lovingly.

"Thank you. For the help, I mean."

"As if you had to say it," Karai shot back with a roll of her eyes.

Leo grinned with a huff of air through his nose, holding Karai close and stroking her coils rhythmically. He pulled her fully onto the bed with his leg and felt her relax against him contentedly. With a farewell nuzzle to her neck, Leo lay on his pillow, pulled the blanket so it covered all but their heads, feet and tail, and drifted into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
